the entire article

Wednesday, July 29, 2009 y WATERLOO REGION RECORD y Sports, D9
Argos
receiver
Bruce
not on
field
The Canadian Press
RECORD STAFF
Alysha Doede, 13, of Waterloo (left) a national judo champion in the under-15, under-57 kilogram weight class, works out with Alyssa Ronayne, 12,
of Cambridge at the Kaizen Judo Club in Kitchener.
Judo clubs rake in medals
Local athletes beat rival Team Quebec
to bring home 21 gold, 12 silver and
17 bronze at championships in Calgary
Local judoka contributed to a
milestone victory for Team Ontario at the Canadian Youth Judo
Championships for under-15,
under-17, and under-20 age divisions in Calgary earlier this
month.
Athletes from the Kaizen and
Asahi judo clubs helped their
provincial team beat rival Team
Quebec en route to bringing home
an impressive 21 gold, 12 silver, and
17 bronze medals.
Bob Zettl, owner and president
of Kitchener’s Kaizen club and
Team Ontario head coach, praised
the spirit and technical quality of
the Ontario competitors and especially our local athletes. “For a lot
of the kids in this region, it was
their first time at nationals and
they did very well.”
Across the country, about
100,000 kids and adults practise
what is the world’s most popular
self-defense sport, according to
Greg Butrey, media director of
Judo Ontario.
In addition to its recreational
status, judo has been an Olympic
sport since the 1964 Tokyo games
and offers kids the highest com-
Andrew
Coppolino
Kids in
Sports
petitive levels for which to strive.
With six local judo clubs, the
region is increasingly a judo hotbed. The proof is on the podium
with nearly one-quarter of Team
Ontario’s 50 medals coming from
Kaizen and Asahi athletes.
The Kaizen club claimed eight
medals (three gold, two silver and
three bronze), while Asahi, also of
Kitchener, won three medals (one
gold and two silver).
Mark Burgess, Asahi head
coach, says that his podium athletes were on a trajectory to winning and previously “had been
medaling all over the place. But
there were a few kids at the nationals for the first time and this was
their entry to this level of the
sport. They performed up to my
expectations.”
There also were participants in
the tournament from the Cam-
bridge YMCA judo club, and Waterloo’s M & D Siladi judo club.
With Ontario’s rival province
winning 18 medals, “this was the
first time in approximately 10
years that we’ve taken more gold
medals than Quebec,” notes Zettl.
For the championship, Team Ontario’s squad of 96 athletes (second
only to Quebec’s 139) was selected
through qualifying events going
back to last fall.
“We had eight cooperative
training sessions in Ajax, Brampton, Hamilton, Kitchener, and the
University of Toronto,” Zettl says.
“That’s how we got the team together to work on technical components and for the coaching staff
to get to know the kids.”
The work and travel paid off for
the clubs and the provincial team
in terms of the medal count, even
though Ontario sent 43 fewer
athletes than Quebec.
It’s important to recognize that
gold medals won by local athletes
Cynthia Beleno-Stitt, Kaleb
Smith, Monika Burgess, and
Alysha Doede make them Canadian national champions in their
respective weight divisions.
Team Ontario, and by extension the clubs at the foundation of
the provincial program, has seen
steady progression in national
competitions. In 2006, Team Ontario collected mostly fifth-place
finishes and bronze medals. “This
year, we really turned things
around,” says Zettl. “It was a sight
to be seen with Ontario winning
those 21 golds.”
Local medalists from 2009 Canadian Youth Judo Championships by age groups
Under-20
Cynthia Beleno-Stitt (Kaizen):
gold, over-78 kg female division
DusanSarenac (Kaizen): silver,
under-90 kg male
Zachary Marshall (Kaizen):
bronze, under-90 kg male
Under-17
Katherine Heffernan (Asahi):
silver, under-44kgfemale
Johnny Nagy (Kaizen): silver,
under-55kg male
Megan Nagy (Kaizen): bronze,
under-63kg female
Under-15
Kaleb Smith (Kaizen): gold,
under-34 kg male
Christian Melendez (Asahi):
silver, under-42 kg male
Monika Burgess (Asahi): gold,
under-52 kg female
Alysha Doede (Kaizen): gold,
under-57 kg female
Philip Leeman (Kaizen):
bronze, under-66 kg male
Andrew Coppolino’s column appears
Wednesdays. He can be reached at
andrew@andrewcoppolino.com
Vikings coach says Favre not coming back
ately offer a comment from Hattiesburg, Miss., where he worked
out with high school players this
summer in a bid to keep in shape
for a potential return to the NFL.
“It was a rare and unique opportunity to consider adding not
only a future Hall of Fame quarterback but one that is very familiar with our system and division,”
Childress said in a statement on
the team’s website. “That does not
detract from the team that we
have.”
The decision is a crushing blow
for the Vikings, who openly courted Favre all summer.
Adding Favre would have been
viewed by many as the final piece
for a team that already has star
running back Adrian Peterson
and a stingy veteran defence that
returns nearly intact from last
year’s NFC North championship
QB decides 18
seasons is enough
The Associated Press
MINNEAPOLIS — Brett Favre
won’t be coming out of retirement
to play for Minnesota.
Vikings coach Brad Childress
confirmed to The Associated
Press in a text message Tuesday
that the three-time MVP quarterback for the Green Bay Packers
would not join his team when
training camp opens later this
week. Favre’s decision was first
reported by The Star Tribune on
its website.
Childress told the paper Favre
did not want to put himself
through the grind of a 19th NFL
season.
Favre himself did not immedi-
season.
Favre came out of retirement
last year to play for the New York
Jets. He retired again, had surgery
in May to alleviate a torn biceps
tendon and then openly flirted
with the idea of coming back again
with the Vikings, the Packers’
NFC North rival.
After two months of rehab,
Favre told Childress he didn’t
think he had enough in him to get
through a full season.
Now Childress has some damage control to do with Tarvaris
Jackson and Sage Rosenfels, the
two veterans who were expected to
compete for the job before the
Favre drama began for a second
straight year.
Jackson and Rosenfels were
peppered with questions about
Favre during the team’s minicamps this summer. It was a testy
situation already for them to deal
with, and now they will likely face
a whole new set of inquiries with
the job up for grabs all over again.
Favre’s decision comes at the
11th hour. Vikings players will
begin arriving in Mankato for
training camp on Wednesday, with
a mandatory reporting day of
Thursday and the first practice on
Friday.
Now it’s back to square one,
though Childress has said he
believes the Vikings will be good
with or without Favre.
“As we have consistently communicated, we feel good about our
team and they have put forth a
tremendous effort this off-season
preparing for the season ahead,”
he said. “With this behind us, we
look forward to getting to Mankato and getting training camp under way.”
MISSISSAUGA — Arland
Bruce III is still a Toronto Argonaut, at least for now.
The Argos returned to the
practice field Tuesday without
Bruce. The start slotback was
barred from the team last week
by head coach Bart Andrus and
it’s obvious the two remain at
odds.
The five-foot-11, 194-pound
Bruce didn’t attend team meetings Tuesday morning and
wasn’t on the field when practice
began afterwards. Bruce was
reportedly poised to rejoin his
teammates before being told by
club officials earlier in the
morning to stay away.
Bruce met with Argos GM
Adam Rita on Sunday but it’s
Andrus who is said to have final
say on his future. And on Tuesday, the first-year CFL head
coach made it very clear he
doesn’t want Bruce around.
“He’s not here today because I
don’t want him here today,”
Andrus said emphatically.
“That’s why.
“We’re looking at a lot of
different things, a lot of different
ways to bring this to a resolution. But right now I do not want
him around the team.”
The ongoing Bruce saga is
certainly garnering attention.
Maybe three or four reporters
attend a typical Argos practice,
but Tuesday’s session attracted
roughly triple that amount.
Andrus didn’t bring Bruce to
Winnipeg for last Friday’s 19-5
victory against the Blue Bombers, saying he was disciplining
the six-year Argo for breaking
team rules. Instead of quietly
accepting the move, Bruce, in
his eighth CFL season, made
matters worse by publicly criticizing Andrus and quarterback
Kerry Joseph.
Bruce remained very noncommittal about Bruce’s return,
saying he’s not broached that
subject yet. But both Andrus’s
body language and the emphatic
tone of his voice as he spoke
strongly suggested Bruce’s days
in Toronto were numbered.
“No,” Andrus said when
asked if he’s spoken to Bruce. “I
had a nice talk with him last
Thursday and that was enough.”
Fuelling the speculation was
the Argos signing receiver Chad
Lucas to the active roster Tuesday. Lucas played for Andrus
with the Amsterdam Admirals
of NFL Europe in 2006.
Andrus did say had Bruce
handled the situation better, he
likely would’ve rejoined the
squad Tuesday.
“I would say there would’ve
been a good possibility because
that’s the way a professional
responds when they’re reprimanded,” Andrus said. “The
fundamental reason (Bruce isn’t
with Argos) is him and the reaction that he had with being
disciplined.
“It all lies there.”
Bruce, 31, has been Toronto’s
leading receiver the past three
seasons and his absence would
seem to hurt an offence that’s
struggled this season. The Argos
are 2-2 and tied with Hamilton
for second in the East Division
despite averaging 256 passing
yards a game — third-worst in
the CFL.
Without Bruce and injured
veteran Andre Talbot, Toronto’s
most experienced and productive receiver is sophomore Reggie McNeal.
MINOR SPORTS SCOREBOARD
Team representatives are reminded
that the names of goal scorers from
both teams are required in the
results of games played between
teams from within Waterloo Region
and The Record’s coverage area.
BOYS BASEBALL
Minor Bantam
Double-A
Waterloo Tigers 5 Cambridge
Cubs 1
Waterloo: Mike Piaseczny 2B, 2
RBI; Zack Hedley 1B, RS; Evan
Yantha 1B, RS; Liam Roth RS, RBI;
Ryan Purcell 6 K.
Cambridge: Scott Holton 2B, RS;
Connor Legere 1B, 2 K; Riley
Clipper 3 K
2nd: Keaton Jones (Kitchener)
Max Clift, (Kitchener) was skills
winner in this division.
LADIES FASTBALL
Sliders
Hawks
Fury
Thunder
Waterloo
Young Guns
Rogues
Heat
Storm
W
15
9
9
7
8
7
4
2
0
L
0
5
5
3
6
7
10
10
15
T TG
0 15
1 15
1 15
4 14
1 15
0 14
1 15
2 14
0 15
TP
30
19
19
18
17
14
9
6
0
GOLF
Girls
1st: Kirsten Degutis (Waterloo) – also
skills winner
2nd: Jillian Moran (Kitchener) – also
Long Drive winner
Boys 13 and under
1st: Matt LeMay (Waterloo)
Boys 14-16
2nd: Brett Kennedy (Kitchener)
3rd: Gregory Cooke (Cambridge)
Boys 17-19
T2nd: Jason Watchorn (Waterloo)
K-W: Blake Jones 3, John Wilson,
Patrick McKelvie, Tyson
Schierholtz. Assists: Thomas
Aitkenhead, Matt Dietrich, Cristian
Wyman, Jones, Wilson, McKelvie,
Schierholtz.
LAWN BOWLING
Results from the W.O.B.A.
Week Championships, held
LACROSSE
Peewee
July 19 to 24 at Woodstock
Results from zone 8 round robin Lawn Bowling Club and
playoffs
Fairmont Lawn Bowling
KW Braves 10 Milton 2
Club in London.
KW Braves 6 Cambridge 0
Ladies’ Pairs
KW Braves 11 Milton 2
KW Braves 6 Cambridge 5
Midget
K-W Braves II 6 Brantford Posse
5
Jean Brighton and Beverly Houston
(both from Kitchener) were winners
over Susan Smith (Cobourg) and
Kelly McKerihen (Milton).
Men’s Singles
Mike Wagner (Kitchener) was
fourth.
Results from the Ladies
Provincial Championships
Susan Karlins, of Kitchener Lawn
Bowling Club, won the gold medal
and the right to play in the
Nationals, held this year in Victoria,
B.C. Aug. 16 – 22.
SLO-PITCH
Last Qualifier of 2009
August 1, 2 – Three games
guaranteed. Categories include
Men’s D,E; COED D,E; Ladies D
and Masters 40 Int.
The entry fee is $275, and you must
be a SPOA member to enter.
Contact Vic Rowse 519-644-2430,
or Slo-Pitch city 519-268-7976.
Girls 9/10 800m
SWIMMING
Results for ROW from the
Canadian Age Group
Championships, July 15-20 at
the Jean Drapeau Aquatic
Centre in Ile Saint Helene in
Montreal.
Margot Cunningham - qualified for
the finals in four events (100-200
Back, 200-400 IM). Placed 6th in
the 200 Back.
David Mallett placed 8th in the 5 km
Open Water race.
Also reaching the finals was Dean
Bennett in the 100 Back, Graeme
Kemp in the 200 Back, Sarah Doyle
in 200 Breast.
Bowman 3:01.41: Bronze.
Girls 11/12 200m
Girls 11/12 400m
Taya Ambrose (11) 1:05.84: Gold.
Berge 1.05.89: Silver.
Century White Angels 4 Kelly
Fighting Irish 1
Girls 11/12 800m
Angels: Jonathan Faber(2), Torry
Chen, Samuel Fenton.
Fighting Irish: Lucas Muellerl.
Ambrose 2:31.15: Gold.
Girls 13/14 1500m
Grace Gany (13) 5:23.61: 5th.
Boys 11/12 100m
Joey Daniels (10) 13.24: Silver.
Boys 11/12 200m
Daniels 29.54: Bronze.
Boys 13/14 400m
Sulaxan Joseph (13) 1:08.93 5th.
TRACK AND FIELD
Boys 13/14 Triple Jump
Results from KWTFA at the MTA
Provincial Final.
Joseph 9.07 m 5th
Girls 9/10400m
Madison Bowman (9) 1:18.97: 4th.
BOYS SOCCER
Under 11
House League
Hannah Berge (11) 29.65: 5th.
Century White Angels 2 QB Red
Bulls 2
Angels: Gabriel Irwin 2.
Red Bulls: Nathan Tarasko, Noah
McCainn.
Century White Angels 2 Forest
Green F.C. 0
Angels: Fenton 2. Shutout: Jake
Arias
Century White Angels 2 Teal
Sharks 1
Angels: Fenton, Faber.
Teal Sharks: Conrad Henden.